Manifesto creates spaces – both physical and digital – that inspire, develop, and amplify diverse communities of young people through arts, culture and media.

Founded in 2007, Manifesto is one of Canada’s premier contemporary youth arts and culture platforms, producing carefully curated programming in music, visual arts, dance and more for over 10 years. Through concerts, art shows, block parties, workshops, summits, pop ups, and our flagship Manifesto Festival of Community & Culture, we reflect the beauty, talent and ideas of our city back on itself – helping to fuel an ongoing cycle of creation, expression and inspiration.

We put a focus on cultivating local arts, culture and community both on and off stage – by providing platforms for local artists to grow, enriching experiences and content for young people to share, and inspiring spaces for young creatives to connect with each other. While we're locally grounded, we're also globally-minded, helping the Manifesto model grow internationally and building networks of like-minded artists, creative leaders and young people.

Started and run by young people, the festival, year-round programming and the organization itself have helped create countless volunteer, internship and employment opportunities – powering a multi-disciplinary talent and training incubator for future leaders. We help build careers, foster community connections and nurture civic pride – all while contributing to the vitality of the city we love.